A double edged decision
by Aurorawhisperwind
Summary: Kikiyo or Kagome? Inuyasha always has been unsure, but he had better make a decision fast, before Naraku plays a few of his tricks………
1. Chapter 1

**Aurora Whisperwind:** Hello! This is my very first Inuyasha fic! I hope you like it! Italics indicate thoughts or flashbacks.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha. The characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

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"Inuyasha, sit boy!" screamed Kagome for the umpteenth time, as the white haired hanyou pummeled into the ground again. It was the same old argument, Kagome wanted to go home, and Inuyasha wanted to keep looking for the shards. "I'm leaving, dog boy. But I will be back in a week!" she said, jumping in before he could protest. She did hear-"KAGOME! JUST YOU WAIT WENCH! I'LL-" the rest of his yells were cut off.

At the bottom of the well in her own time, she laughed to herself. Inuyasha was so stubborn sometimes. "Kagome! Is that you?" Souta's voice called out. Within minutes she was out, back in her own world, filled with normal things like cars, microwaves and hot baths. She greeted her mother and grandpa and finding out that she was at hospital because of Rickets, headed off for a bath. She only hoped that her friends wouldn't ask why her legs weren't bent.

She stepped into the tub, her thoughts full of Inuyasha now. _'Was he really hurt?'_ Nah, she assured herself, he couldn't have been if he could bellow at her like that. She giggled, then sobered up. It was funny, what she felt for him now. When did he stop being the immature creep who wouldn't call her by name and become just the man she fell in love with? When did her feelings for him change? She still remembered the night she caught him promising Kikiyo that he would protect her. That incident still stood out clearly in her mind, and all the pain she had felt then came back. _Kikiyo_. Her heart wrenched at the thought that she would never really have Inuyasha, one day he'd leave her and everyone else.

The water became colder and colder and the bubbles slowly disappeared. '_Is that why I wish for this quest for the shards to never end?'_ she asked herself. _'No'_ argued her brain but her heart knew it was lying. 'I'll lose Inuyasha. He chose Kikiyo. His heart belongs to her. I'll always be a friend, nothing more.' An unexpected tear escaped her, rolling down her cheekbone and hitting the opaque water. She shook her head stubbornly. _'No. I won't cry. I'm strong. I can accept that.' _She knew that if she started to cry, she wouldn't be able to stop.

She stepped out and dressed, now thoroughly depressed. She looked at herself in the mirror, and her sad face looked back at her. _'Kikiyo is so beautiful. I look like a stupid giggly schoolgirl, which is exactly what I am.' _She went up to her bedroom, and clutched a pillow, burying half her face in it. She looked out of the window, into the fading sunlight. Birds flew; probably back to their homes at the end of a long day. Her wet hair hung about her, and she sighed again. _'Kikiyo probably never **sat** Inuyasha either.'_ She made a resolution not to 'sit' Inuyasha until it was absolutely necessary.

"Kagome" her mother called from below "Dinner time!" She slowly made her way downstairs. Her mother seemed to sense that something was wrong, but didn't say anything. Souta and grandpa talked, but she hardly listened to anything, her mind was else where. She went back up to her room after dinner and tried to study.

'_It's no use…. I can't concentrate. I'll study tomorrow'_ she decided, and shut her books. She went up to the window again, and looked out at the crescent moon in the silent night. She wondered briefly if Inuyasha was looking at the sky. The moon…. The night of the new moon was drawing close now, in a fortnight. She knew those nights were dangerous, but always found herself wishing for this night to come soon. She liked it when he was human. She liked to look into his eyes and see something there. _'He does feel something for me. Why would he bother about Kouga flirting with me otherwise?'_ And reassuring herself that there was something, she fell asleep.

The morning dawned, and she found herself almost disappointed that she had to go to school. But there was an important test in two days and she really had to catch up quite a lot of things. She met up with her friends at the end of the day, and they hung out. They talked about her 'rude boyfriend' and she found herself defending Inuyasha like hell.

It was on her way back home that she wondered how it would have been if she hadn't fallen into the well. _'I would have a normal life. I would have probably dated Hojo and studied regularly.'_ But deep inside she knew she didn't want that. She had never really felt anything for Hojo, and probably wouldn't have been that happy. _'I wouldn't have met Miroku or Sango or Shippou. I wouldn't have met Inuyasha. I would rather have Inuyasha as a friend than not have him at all' _

Six more days till she went back to the feudal period. She briefly flirted with the thought of going two days early and surprising them. _'I'll see… let the test be over first'_ she decided and sat down to study again, blocking off all other thoughts.

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I know nothing much happened and all, but I wanted to establish Kagome's thoughts and feelings at this stage. If I was a little too melodramatic or if this chapter was choppy, please let me know. Comments and flames are welcome. Review please! 


	2. The voice

**Aurora Whisperwind:** Hi again! Thanks to all who reviewed! I never expected so many! Here's the update you asked for!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I also do not own any songs or pieces of music mentioned here.

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Five days. It had been five days. Why hadn't Inuyasha come to get her like he always did? Kagome found herself staring into the well, worry rising in her. Did something happen to him? Did Naraku do something? She positioned herself, one knee on the well, but paused to reconsider. Maybe Inuyasha didn't want to see her. Maybe, she thought bitterly, Kikyou had shown up again.

She shrugged and tried to put the morning's events into the back of her mind. _'Concentrate'_ she scolded herself as the teacher launched into something absolutely impossible to understand. The rest of the day went by like a dream._ 'What a dreary day'_ she thought to herself as she walked home slowly. The test had gone horribly. _'I'm never going to improve! No matter how hard I try, I never seem to get anything out of it!'_ She kicked the door aside, and walked into an empty house. Her mother had told her that she was going to be out with Souta and Grandpa to visit an ailing aunt and wouldn't be back till later that evening.

'_I guess I'm all alone then'_ she thought to herself. She briefly wondered if she should study, but didn't really feel like it. The house was silent, like a tomb. _'I'll turn on some music. That should clear my head'_ she reached for the radio and turned it on, collapsing on her bed. She stared at the ceiling, still wondering what had happened. "Hello! I'm BJ cool, your host. Want to request a song? Then call 1800-3462 to hear your favorite melodies!" the radio declared.

Almost immediately, some guy requested for 'How did I fall in love with you' by Backstreet boys. _'I haven't heard this one before'_ Kagome thought, turning on her side and looking at the radio. The first strands of the song hit her like a bullet to the heart. _'It's just the way I feel'_ she realized and stretched out her hand to turn it off, but couldn't. Song after song played, and all of them, in some strange way, seemed to be relevant to her plight. A Bee gees-Samantha song called 'Emotion', 'Can't lose what you never had' by Westlife, 'The day we find love' by 911 and so on.

The words revolved around her, mocking her, until she gave up and started sobbing in defeat. _'It's no use, I'll never-'_ the tears flowed freely, choking her. She struggled to breath now, and tried to quiet the sobs. _'What's wrong with me?'_ she thought in panic _'I've never fallen apart like this before'_ A strange, soft voice arose within, and whispered softly to her- "Its okay, darling"

Kagome lifted her head. "Who's that?" The voice chuckled- "Don't you remember me, precious? Has everything changed so much?" it asked warmly, just like-just like her father. "Dad?" she called to thin air "Is that you?" The voice chuckled again "Yes it is, my princess. Your sorrow drew me to you, love. What's wrong?" Kagome hesitated. Her father's voice came again "You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to. But I can guess most of it" her eyes watered again, and for a brief second felt an invisible hand stroke her hair. "It'll be okay…" he whispered soothingly, and somehow she felt her eyes close and within seconds, all was blank.

"Kagome! Kagome! Wake up, sis!" Souta's voice came to her, sounding worried. Kagome opened her eyes, trying to focus. "What happened?" she muttered, getting up. Her head felt woozy. "We don't know, we came back and you were asleep, I tried to wake you up, but it was like you were drugged or something" he said, peering at her face and adding- "Did anything happen?" Kagome stared at him "I don't know…" she trailed off "Is Inuyasha here?" Souta shook his head "Come to dinner" he said, shutting her door behind him.

Kagome remained there, trying to remember what happened. That voice……her father…. Was it really him? She got up, and that was when she saw a strange looking coin-like thing beside her. She picked it up. There were inscriptions on it, in some strange language. "Keep it, it'll protect you from harm" the voice assured "But do not reveal it to anyone, because if you do, I can never contact you again" Kagome hesitated. "Please daughter, it's for your own good" She considered, and then took it. "Ok dad" she said, "I promise you I'll keep it" She almost felt his joy. "There's my good girl"

"Bye Kagome! Take care of yourself!" her mother, Souta and grandpa cheered as she jumped down the bone-eaters well two days later. _'Inuyasha'_ she thought _'Why didn't you come for me?'_ Then the blinding light enveloped her, and felt the jewel shards glow with energy. Soon she was at the bottom of the well again, in the feudal period. She climbed up and almost fell off again as a small blur of brown cannoned into her chest screaming- "Kagomeeeeeeee, you're back! I missed you like hell! Inuyasha's being really mean to me!" she laughed, and stroked his hair. "Hello Shippou"

"Nice to see you again" Miroku and Sango came to view now, beaming. Kagome smiled back at them and eased Shippou off her. He immediately went to her bag, searching for candy. "Where's Inuyasha?" she asked, looking around. Miroku and Sango sighed. "He's been upset ever since you buried him with all those sits" Kagome felt distinctly uncomfortable now. Sango noticed her mood and quickly added "But he'll smell you soon enough and come rushing here"

As if on cue, a red blur came yelling "Kagome!" Shippou had yelled the same way, but with delight, while none of that was existent on the hanyou's voice or face. "You took so long! Why didn't you just stay there forever?" he ranted on and on, hardly pausing for breath. Normally, she would have either laughed it off or gotten angry and sat him again. Not this time though. She found herself hardly listening to him, and instead simply stared at him, entranced at the way the sun caught his amber eyes, making them burn like fire. Or how his long white mane sparkled like silver. Or how……..

"You love him, don't you……." Her father drawled, a teasing hint in his tone. Kagome found herself unable to say anything. "But you can't have him, for his heart is given to another" she felt herself agree. "Everything will work out….. You just wait" Then voice faded, leaving the same blankness.

"Kagome! Dear lord, what happened to her?" Sango's concerned voice came to her. Someone grabbed her shoulders roughly and shook her, forcing her into consciousness. She opened her eyes, and found Inuyasha's golden eyes staring at her, with a faint hint of concern in them. "Don't be so rough, Inuyasha" she heard Miroku scold, as he bent down to ask her what had happened. "I-I don't know" she stuttered and swayed a little. Nothing seemed to make any sense. Her head felt like it would explode. She blinked again, and tried to stand up. "Don't be stupid" Inuyasha growled as he lifted her on to his back "There's something wrong with you! I'm taking you to that old hag, she can take a look at you" he ran off. Miroku, Sango and Shippou followed_ 'He's so nice and sooooooo warm'_ she thought happily and encircled her arms around him '_I love you, Inuyasha'_

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So, how was that? I personally like this chapter a lot, as I get to put all the pieces on the board. Why does Kagome keep fainting? And why does she seem to be so sensitive? Find out in the ensuing chapters! Poor thing, I feel so sorry for her…. PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!

'What can I do; to make you mine  
fallen so hard; so fast; this time  
what did I say; what did you do  
how did I fall in love with you'

'How did I fall in love with you' by Backstreet boys.

Review, please.


	3. A vision and more

**Aurora Whisperwind:** Hi people! I got eleven reviews! I've never got so many for two chaps before! You guys rock! I even got a near-flame, something I'd never gotten before! Yay! That's right, I'm mad………….

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

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"Alright hag, what's wrong with her?" demanded Inuyasha, lowering Kagome on to the floor of the hut, but still keeping a tight hold on her, arm slung over her shoulders. "Let her go, then I can see" Kaede retorted, earning a glare from the hanyou. Kagome giggled as Inuyasha blushed and cursing under his breath, left the hut. "So, child, what happened?" the old miko interrupted, placing her palm on Kagome's forehead to check for a fever. Kagome stopped laughing. "Um… actually…well... nothing really happened, I just…" she trailed off, looking at the floor. She didn't really want to tell anyone about that voice. Not just yet at least. She pulled away from Kaede. "I didn't sit Inuyasha or anything, you know, and I think that freaked him out. That's all, really" she stammered, not looking at Kaede who was staring at her with a most suspicious expression.

"No really! Nothing happened!" she defended herself and got up to leave. The coin fell out of her pocket. Kagome picked it up quickly and ran out, crashing into Sango and Miroku at the door. "What happened, Kaede?" asked Miroku as she left. Kaede's voice was grim as she replied- "I fear that she's in great danger"

A gentle breeze fanned her cheeks as she ran till she collapsed, out of breath near the well. "Why did I feel so scared? Why did I feel I shouldn't let anyone know? They're my friends, they'll understand" she said, half to herself. _'My dad told me not to reveal it to anyone though'_ She sighed. This was going to be hard. She took out the coin to examine it again. It looked familiar and yet….

"Wench! What are you doing here?" Inuyasha's angry voice came to her as he looked down at her. She gave a start and pushing the coin back into her pocket, forced a calm expression and explained. He didn't look like he believed her, but gave his hand to her anyway and helped her up, earning a surprised look from her. They didn't exchange another word as they walked back, each lost in thoughts.

They soon set off on the hunt for Naraku. Kaede told them about a strange rumor that she had heard from a passing mercenary. It seemed that there was something eating people in the forest to the west. Though it was probably not Naraku, they decided to head there anyway, much to Inuyasha's displeasure.

Night fell soon, and as there was no village nearby from where Miroku could drive out an ominous looking cloud, they camped out. Kagome nearly burnt the ramen, and a puzzled and worried Sango offered to cook instead. They fell asleep soon, or rather everyone else except Kagome did. Now that all was quiet, she started feeling scared. Unreasonable fear. She briefly wondered if she should tell Inuyasha. _'Nah… he'll either get worried or laugh at me'_ she shivered again, and tried to calm her racing heart. _'What am I afraid of?'_

Irritated, she got up for a drink of water. She reached for the bottle, but flinched when a sudden chill ran down her spine. _'What's happening?'_ she almost opened her mouth to call for Inuyasha when her father's voice came to her, low and sounding worried. "Kagome! Are you all right?" she shook her head. No, she was not alright. "Is it really you? How am I supposed to trust you? I've been so off-track, I don't know what I'm doing, and my friends are worried. Give me some proof!" she whispered, careful not to wake the others. "I thought so" the voice sighed "You just have to trust me love, but I promise you, I may be able to give this proof, but not right now…now sleep and let nothing wake you till dawn takes hold" The darkness closed in again.

"Lady Kikyou, where are you going? And with the jewel nonetheless?" someone was asking her. "What? Kikyou? I'm not-" she tried to say but no sound came out of her, just the calm voice of Kikyou, who gently shook the question free. She was walking, walking towards an open space beyond the village. Stuck inside Kikyou's body, Kagome felt her hope and happiness. She stopped soon, her hair rippling in the wind. Sudden realization hit Kagome. _'This must be when Naraku struck her down! Why can I see all this?'_

Pain exploded as Kikyou's and now somehow her, shoulder was ripped open. She reached for the jewel; Kikyou and she seemed to become one at this instance as Inuyasha stepped on her hand and took the jewel himself, telling her- "You fool! I had no intention whatsoever of becoming human. But I shall take the jewel nonetheless" Shock, hatred and betrayal filled within her, and above all a feeling of disbelief. "Traitor!" she felt herself scream "TRAITOR!"

She staggered to the village, bleeding, but more from the betrayal than the external injuries. Rage filled her heart when she spotted him, and yet somewhere in the midst of all that anger, there was something in her that willed the arrow she shot to stop. The look on Inuyasha's face, it was a look of shock mixed with sadness and fear as he whispered her name. _'NOOOOOOO!'_ her mind screamed _'What have I done? Why did I-'_ the pain from the injuries increased and she knew she was dying. _'I was so close… so close to being happy… to live an ordinary life filled with laughter and love'_ and in one precious moment, everything was taken from her. Leaving behind only empty space. _'And so you die, priestess…betrayed by the one you love…'_ the speaker had a cold, self-assuring voice which turned darker as he continued _'Time is running short, girl… will history repeat itself?'_

"NOOOOOOOOOOO! INUYASHA!" Kagome got up with a start, shaking. Tears poured down her face, refusing to stop. "Kagome! Calm down!" Inuyasha sounded worried as he grabbed her arms and shook her. She gasped for breath and saw Miroku and Sango standing above her, worry etched on their faces. "It was just a dream Kagome" soothed Inuyasha, his hard amber eyes softening to honey gold "Just a dream" His arms wrapped around her slowly, pulling her closer. She sighed and settled into their warmth, tears slowly receding, still not able to shake of what she had just dreamt. So this was how Kikyou had felt on that fateful day.

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Oh lord, I like this chapter! Normally I hate Kikyou, but I feel sorry for her too. What do you think? Please, please review! I'm posting this with hope that I get a decent number of reviews! Ja ne! I wish to thank V.X.O, Idontexist123, SolShinji, SweetInuLover, Candy kisses1, Saphimire Karishnikova, SlummyRedDragon and OATMEAL HATER for their reviews. Thank you guys! Please keep reviewing! Oh and Kagome's not pregnant, it's something far more sinister……. You'll just have to keep reading to find out what!

Review please!


	4. Loss

**Aurora Whisperwind:** Again, I was overawed by your reviews! Thank you, everyone! I really enjoyed reading what you had to say, and so here's chapter 4 for you!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I'm only borrowing them for a while.

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The forest was creepy, impending doom written all over it. Inuyasha was on the ground, trying to smell Naraku. "It's not him…" he said after a while "All I can smell is a great big rotten swamp monster. Can you sense any jewel shards?" he asked Kagome. "Huh? The jewel shards? No, I can't sense anything" she said, trying to sound normal. They continued walking, hunting this monster. A thick fog hung ominously, restricting their view to a mere few feet. The ground was mucky, bones of god-knows-what popping up occasionally.

"This monster seems to have quite a constant trickle of food" muttered Sango, stumbling on a bone. "Yes indeed" agreed Miroku, reaching over to catch Sango "It must be huge". Sango blushed as Inuyasha declared "Well it's going down, huge or not" Kagome heard all this with an odd detached air. "Hey Kagome" Shippou asked her "Why aren't you saying anything? Are you mad at us?" She had no time to reply as something wrapped itself around her waist just as Inuyasha whipped around to scream "KAGOME WATCH OUT!"

She found herself being pulled into the air, screaming and kicking. Inuyasha drew the Tetsusaiga and Sango readied her Hiraikotsu while Miroku held out his right hand, just in case. A huge mouth opened up behind her, drooling as a gigantic head pulled itself out of the swampy mire. "Ah! A young woman" said a loud booming voice "Rare around here…she'll make a good lunch" it laughed, sparing Kagome in drool. "SHUT UP UGLY!" Inuyasha yelled as he cut the tentacle holding Kagome. She fell to the ground in a heap.

The monster roared over its missing meal and unleashed a million tentacles at them. Kagome narrowly dodged one as it pierced her side, ripping her skirt pocket. The tiny bottle containing the jewel shards fell to the ground. She tried to reach for them, but another tentacle attacked, this time piercing her shoulder. Pain ripped through her as she vaguely felt something go into the wound. That was all she knew before she blacked out.

"There's something definitely wrong with her" Miroku murmured, looking at Sango. Unease was spread on Sango's lovely face. "Yes…she's been really... you know? Not been herself lately" They shut up immediately as Inuyasha reappeared, throwing a heap of firewood at their feet. There was no point of telling Inuyasha what Kaede had told them. He'd only freak out. "She up yet?" he inquired. They shook their heads. He bent over her, trying to wake her up.

It was when they were thinking of making dinner when she finally woke. Inuyasha promptly launched into a huge lecture on what all she did wrong and what a pain it was to carry her to their new camp and how she should be more careful the next time, etc. etc. to hide his relief. She listened without protest. When they were sure that Inuyasha was quite out of breath, Sango gave her the jewel shards. It was then that she remembered that the coin was in the pocket where she put the jewel shards. "Um…Sango?" she asked hesitantly "Did you find anything else next to these?" Sango looked at her, confused. "No" she said, "Did you lose something?" Kagome said no, her heart sinking now. This was bad…

She spent most of the evening looking for the coin in all the places she could think of with no success. There was absolutely no trace of it. Unless…unless it had slipped off and somehow sunk in the swamp. _'Should I tell Inuyasha?'_ she debated with herself for a long time, spilling the ramen Sango made into her lap, burning herself. She squealed in pain as the hot meal stained her skirt and most of her shirt. Everyone stopped eating and looked at her incredulously. "Kagome…." Shippou began, but she got up hastily, mumbling an apology, drowning out his sentence and ran off to the nearby stream to wash it off.

She fumbled with her clothes, and somehow ended up drenching herself. She decided it was safer to sit out there until her clothes dried, or it would be like giving Miroku a treat. An idea came to her. "Dad?" she whispered to the air, "Are you there? I really need to talk to you…Dad? Can you hear me?" nothing happened. Figures, he told her that coin was very important. Maybe he couldn't contact her without it. Despite her suspicion on whether he was really her father or not, she still felt an odd sense of loss and despair. She pulled her knees to her chest, and buried her face in her arms. She had no idea of how much time had passed until Sango approached her cautiously and asked her what she was doing out there. She muttered a vague excuse about her clothes being wet and all and discovering then that they had dried, allowed herself to be led back to the camp.

Inuyasha bellowed himself hoarse again, probably hoping to evoke a 'sit' remark again, but she didn't really feel like it. Miroku just watched her, suspicion evident in his dark eyes. He didn't say anything though. Deciding that she had better stop acting weird, she 'sat' Inuyasha around twenty times, later regretting what she had done, because it only made them think she was behaving even weirder. Inuyasha didn't even do anything to her; he had climbed up his tree. Feeling wretched, she fell into disturbed sleep again, filled with Kikyou's memories.

All the time neither she nor anyone else noticed the dark shadow in the woods, and neither did they hear his words. 'It's almost over my dear priestess, one more piece to go and your doom is complete…' Kagome tossed and turned in her sleep, not noticing the eerie glow in her shoulder.

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Drama! I like drama! Lots of mysteries now, I'm afraid. Where is the coin? Where is Kagome's dad? Who's the creep in the woods? And what's the glow in her shoulder? Read and review to find out! The more reviews I get, the faster I post the next chappie, MUHUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…..ahem, sorry, I know I sound greedy, but desperate times call for desperate measures….

I thank all my reviewers, and SlummyRedDragon, why do you find this story confusing? Did I contradict something I had written earlier? Please give me a detailed review…. And thank you to missy-bear31, see I updated! Don't send your evil robotic hypnotized squirrels against me, please! Keep reviewing! Ja ne!


	5. I promise you, Kagome

**Aurora Whisperwind:** Ok, my jaw just snapped off the rest of my body. I never expected so many reviews! As a rule, I never update this fast, but you guys blew me over! Chapter 5 is here!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I'm only borrowing them for a while.

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A few days passed with no further incident and no further word from the disembodied voice that claimed to be Kagome's father. Now they were headed towards a village which was rumored to be haunted. They had no idea if it was Naraku, but with no other leads to follow, they had to settle for this one. They had covered around half the distance when Miroku suddenly remembered what day it was. It was the night of the new moon. They decided to stop; there was no point of rushing into a possible trap greatly weakened. Of course Inuyasha agreed with some hesitation, and sat grumbling all evening.

Kagome volunteered to make dinner, but was gently dissuaded by a very concerned looking Sango and Miroku. She noticed that Miroku was watching her, not in his usual lecherous way, but with a rather shrewd expression. "We'll make dinner, Kagome-chan, why don't you just…um…cheer Inuyasha up?" Sango ventured mildly. Kagome hesitated, but noticing the look in Miroku's eyes, left quietly. Inuyasha was sitting in his usual stance, the Tetsusaiga in his arms. He looked moody and irritable. Normally she would have tried to talk him out of it, but she didn't somehow feel like it. So she turned away, walking away from the camp.

She wasn't supposed to wander, she knew, but something was leading her away. Her shoulder began to get warmer, forcing her to run. There was a greenish glow up ahead, almost beckoning her, calling her. The warmth in her shoulder increased, and before she knew it, she was sprinting, towards the strange green light. The more she ran, the farther the glow seemed to be. _'I have to get there'_ she thought, though her heart felt like it would explode. She ran faster, not even noticing the numerous small wounds she sustained as she sprinted and suddenly the glow seemed to be coming closer, and pretty soon she ran into a clearing.

There was a small waterfall there, the water sparkling in the starlight. Next to the waterfall, she noticed what she had been running for; a small green ball was floating in the air. _'Touch it…touch it…'_ Who was saying that? Was it her? _'Just touch it…who really cares?'_ Her shoulder warmed again, indicating she should touch it. And ignoring the small, almost unheard voice in her which said no, she reached out and touched it. The result was instantaneous; her shoulder was burning, burning like her anger for Kikyou, burning like her passion for Inuyasha. Her head was spinning, and she could only manage a small scream before falling into the dark bottomless tunnel that she knew so well.

Meanwhile, back at the camp…

"Here Inuyasha, here's your food" Sango offered him the bowl and looked around "Where's Kagome?" she asked holding another bowl in her hands. Inuyasha looked up; concerned "I thought she was with you guys" Sango's eyes widened as she slowly shook her head in dissent. "We asked her to stay with you, Inuyasha! She was going to go cheer you up!" Sango shrieked, clearly panicking now. "No, I tell you!" screamed Inuyasha, getting to his feet "She didn't talk to me at all! I haven't seen her since you guys decided to make dinner"

"She went somewhere on her own? There's something definitely not right about this" muttered Sango as she climbed on top of Kirara with Miroku and Shippou. "Ok you guys check out that area and I'll go this way" commanded Inuyasha as he sped off. "You know, I'm sure she's being possessed, just like lady Kaede said" mumbled Miroku. Sango turned pale at that "Should we tell Inuyasha?" she asked. Miroku thought for a while, and disagreed. "We're not sure of it yet…let's wait. In the mean time let's keep a close eye on her" he said, both of them watching Inuyasha's rapidly vanishing figure and rising to the air themselves to search for Kagome.

"Damn this stupid human form!" Inuyasha cursed as he tried in vain to catch Kagome's scent. _'Where could she have gone? She's been acting so weird since she came back from her time'_ he gave a start when he noticed a piece of green cloth caught on a thorny bush. It was a bit of her skirt. There was a little blood on it, most definitely hers. She was running this way, and must have torn herself on this bush. Inuyasha sped off in the relative direction, and soon enough ended up in the same clearing. It was a beautiful place, the waterfall gurgling happily, and the serenity of the atmosphere bewitching. He paid no attention to that though, for Kagome was on the ground, writhing in pain. "KAGOME!" he screamed, rushing to her side, "WAKE UP WENCH!"

She didn't wake. She kept thrashing around, mumbling incoherently. He stayed there, feeling helpless. "Kagome…" he said, caressing her smooth cheek, "Please wake up" Miraculously, she stopped twitching around. Her hand reached out, and cupped his own. He was startled, but held her hand anyway, and lifted her head onto his lap. She opened her eyes slowly, staring at him like he was a ghost. He looped his arm across her shoulders and made her sit up. "Alright Kagome, what's happening?" he asked, pulling her closer and sitting with her.

"I keep having these dreams…" she muttered, wondering briefly if she should tell him everything. She quickly decided against it; let the whole coin mess be for a while. "What dreams?" he asked, the rare gentleness in his voice showing. "I…well…" she stuttered, her voice beginning to crack, "I keep dreaming that I'm Kikyou, and it's always the same dream… the day she…well… died" she burst into tears "I keep trying to wake up, but it's so real, every time…" her voice cracked, and she didn't feel like continuing anymore. Inuyasha looked shocked. He just held her tighter now, not saying anything. They stayed like that for a while, until Kagome looked up with her tear filled eyes to gaze into his. "Inuyasha? Can I ask you something?" he nodded. "Will you stay by me? Until we defeat Naraku?" she asked. His eyes widened, not expecting this. "Of course"

"You won't betray me?" she inquired again. "Kagome, I didn't betray Kikyou! It was Naraku!" he defended, grabbing her arms, realizing what she was driving at. "I know..." she said, lowering her head onto his chest and looping her arms around him "It's just that…I felt what she did on that day and…" she stopped, feeling Inuyasha's arms around her again, his head in her hair. "Kagome, I promise…" he murmured, stroking her hair "I'll stay by your side, until Naraku's gone…" The stars twinkled up in the sky, as a rainbow faded in and out of focus near the beautiful waterfall. A breeze blew, drying her tears, but bringing their aura to a waiting shadow, whose sole purpose was to make sure that those tears were shed again.

A promise made…. Will it be kept?

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I love writing mild fluff! Mmmm… I feel warm… Please keep reviewing! One of my stories was removed and your reviews are the only things that are keeping me alive! I know I answered no questions, but I had to place the last piece on the board…

Please, please review! Thanks to everyone who's reviewed, you guys are the best!


	6. Murder

**Aurora Whisperwind:** Hmmm…I was a little disappointed with the number of reviews, but I guess I can't have everything in life, ne? Here's chapter 6 for you! On a side note, this chapter might be slightly confusing, as Kagome is arguing with herself. To help, I've put one side of the argument in italics and the other within '…'

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I'm only borrowing them for a while.

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It had been swelteringly hot for the past few days. The 'haunted' village proved to be a big disappointment, Miroku just slapped a sutra on a wall and everything cleared up, winning the hearts of the villagers and to Sango's dismay, the young girl's hearts too. Kirara didn't look too good, and Sango seemed to think that it was the coming of an illness. They decided to stay the night there, and see if she would get better the next morning. Morning came with no noteworthy improvement and Sango started getting a little worried. Kagome and Inuyasha volunteered to go to Ginengi's village which was nearby. Miroku was too busy flirting to come, Shippou wanted to stay with Kirara and Sango was worried about Kirara and Miroku.

Kagome laughed to herself, remembering Sango's torn expression as they left. She's so stupid, it's obvious Miroku's crazy about her_. I shouldn't be the one to talk, though. I mean, it's so obvious I love Inuyasha but there's nothing I can do about it. At least Sango doesn't have a dead Zombie as a rival_. She sighed, trying to shake herself out of those depressing thoughts and concentrated on enjoying her time with Inuyasha and looked forward to seeing Ginengi and his mother.

Kagome suddenly noticed how conveniently they were left alone. She felt the redness rise to her cheeks, and not particularly noticing where she was going, crashed her bike into a tree. "Moron!" screamed Inuyasha, picking her up "What the heck's wrong with you?" She stuttered something, making him look even more suspicious and went on bugging her, finally causing her to snap, creating a heck lot of trouble. Let's just say that villagers henceforth warned travelers passing that way about a deep, seemingly endless gorge.

Ginengi and his mother welcomed them, and gave them the necessary herbs. They were about to leave when he mentioned to Kagome that a beautiful priestess who looked a lot like her had passed through earlier. Inuyasha froze "Kikyou was here? Was she hurt? Was she alright?" Ginengi paused and then replied "She seemed a little weak, but otherwise fine. She went north from here. I tried to warn her that the area was infested with demons, but she didn't seem to be afraid" The debate that followed was one of the worst ever. Inuyasha was all for looking for Kikyou but Kagome wanted to give the herbs to Kirara. Finally, much to Kagome's dismay, Ginengi offered to escort her back to the village.

Inuyasha sped off, muttering a quick thanks. Kagome watched him go, a familiar gnawing at her heart. Her eyes began to water, but she held her tears back. Ginengi kept up a steady talk, but she didn't listen much_. Didn't Inuyasha promise her he'd stay with her?_ 'Don't be silly', a small voice inside her answered, 'He didn't leave or anything. He just went to look up Kikyou, just to see if she was ok. She could be hurt or something' _Oh for goodness sake, she's a priestess! She can take care of a few pathetic demons! She doesn't need him!_ _Why didn't she go with him? It wasn't like Kirara was in serious trouble. She could wait. Inuyasha on the other hand could go off to hell_. 'Don't be stupid, he won't do anything so rash. He knows that he still has to take care of Naraku' _Then what about the last time? He would have been dragged down with Kikyou if I hadn't screamed_. 'But still…'

"Go, run and find him" the horrible voice from her dreams commanded. Lost in thoughts, Kagome hadn't noticed that she was surrounded by mist. Ginengi was nowhere to be found. _What just happened? Did Ginengi just leave her? Why would he do that? Is any of this real? Was that her father's voice? Was this all a dream?_ She yelled into the fog for her father. Nothing happened. Her shoulder took on an eerie greenish glow now, and she felt herself slip away. One thought remained now, finding Inuyasha. Everything else sank into insignificance, and the fog cleared.

Ginengi was trying to revive her as she opened her eyes. He looked shocked for a second, and then relieved as he started saying something. _Who was Ginengi anyway? What am I doing with him? I'm supposed to look for Inuyasha. Inuyasha. Where was he now? Yes, with Kikyou. I have to find him. But I don't know where he is! No matter, I'll ask this guy. Do I know him? Why am I traveling with him?_ She stood up.

Ginengi was confused. He and Kagome had been walking along when she suddenly collapsed. He had noticed she seemed upset ever since Inuyasha had left. He was trying to revive her when he noticed the odd glow her shoulder. She opened her eyes just as he was about to touch her shoulder, and he was shocked to notice that her eyes weren't brown any more. They were green, and glowing with the same intensity as her shoulder. She looked at him, her face oddly impassive. He blinked and tried to make her get up so that he could take her back to the village as fast as possible. She stood up on her own, however and said in a cold, commanding voice "Inuyasha. Where is he?"

Nothing made sense. What was wrong with her? Did she forget what had happened? "Kagome, Inuyasha is looking for someone. He told me to take you back to the village so that we could give the herbs to Kirara. Don't you remember?" she narrowed her eyes and then spoke "He did, did he? He left me. He promised he'd stay, but I guess that was all a lie" the anger in her voice was obvious, but what chilled Ginengi was that she didn't sound like herself, she sounded cruel. He tried to take her hand. "Kagome, let's go. We have to leave" she pulled out of his grasp with a hiss, her face now filled with cold fury. "No. I'm looking for Inuyasha. I'm not coming with you. I don't even know who you are"

He tried to stop her from leaving, but was startled when she let of a blast of miko energy, throwing him off his feet. An arrow was aimed at his heart before he could even move a muscle. "Stay where you are" she rasped "Or I'll kill you" Ginengi didn't listen, he couldn't just leave her be taken by whatever was possessing her. "Kago-" he began, but at that second the arrow pierced his chest. The pain lasted for a moment, a moment which was frozen in time. He fell slowly, the pain of the blow overshadowed completely by the fact that he had been shot down by the woman he loved secretly since the day she came to him, and showed him that she didn't care how he looked. She was like a whiff of fresh air; she made life worth living again with her carefree and honest spirit. Her soul was untainted, and she was like an angel come down to earth, capturing everyone's hearts with her obvious beauty and kindness. But she was none of these now, her soul was gone, and her heart was empty.

"Good job shutting up the beast" the voice said, the warmth in her shoulder now subsiding. Kagome smirked at the glow, which was shaped exactly like her coin. "There you are" she said, fingering her sleeve. "Why did you hide from me all these days?" the voice smirked back, but didn't reply to her question. "Come now, we must find Inuyasha before you lose him" she agreed, and walked off, crushing the herbs she had collected and throwing them away, ignoring a small muffled feeling inside her that pointed out thatsomething was wrong. The herbs swayed in the breeze for a while, before disappearing, scattered by the wind.

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This chapter was longer than usual, don't you think? Uh oh. What the heck was Kagome doing there? Will Miroku, Sango and Shippou realize something's wrong? And what's Inuyasha doing? I've almost finished the next chapter too, so read and review! I need reviews! Please, please make me feel a little loved? Sniffs

Thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far, you guys have been great!


	7. Betrayal?

**Aurora Whisperwind:** 50 reviews! At last! Thank you, everyone! And this story is just getting started too! Muhuhahahahahahahahahaha! Next goal, a 100!

**Disclaimer:** Wow, chapter 7 and you still want this? I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I'm only borrowing them for a while.

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"Miroku…" Sango said, trailing off as she saw him with a dozen girls, who were eagerly watching his every move. "STUPID PERVERTED MONK!" she screamed, shaking dust from the ceiling. Miroku got up and walked towards her without batting an eyelash as she went on raving. He put a hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. She shut up immediately. He turned to the young girls and excusing himself for a while, causing most of them to swoon, took Sango by hand and led her out.

"Now Sango, what did you want to say?" he asked her, letting go of her hand. Sango found her voice now. "Inuyasha and Kagome aren't back yet. I'm very worried, Miroku, do you think something happened to them? I mean, Ginengi's village isn't that far, right? And Inuyasha's really fast!" Miroku tightened the hold on his staff "You think we should look for them?" Sango nodded faintly, "But Kirara's sick. How are we supposed to go there, walk?" Miroku got up "No, I'll try and contact Hajji" (A/N: Is that his name? The racoon guy who can change form?)

A few minutes later, both of them set off, leaving Shippou to tend to Kirara. They'd sent Myoga to hunt Hajji. They'd walked about a mile when Hajji appeared along with Myoga, and after explaining everything, they set off again, this time on top off Hajji. "Let me get this straight" Myoga inquired, "Kagome's been acting really weird since she came back from her time?" Sango nodded. "We, or rather, Lady Kaede thought that she might be possessed" Miroku put in "And she has been staring off into space, and acting pretty distracted lately" Sango continued. Myoga said nothing, just looked worriedly at the ground.

"KIKYOU! KIKYOU! WHERE ARE YOU?" Inuyasha yelled as he skidded to a stop. _'Damn'_ he thought to herself, _'I can't smell her at all'_ He wondered what he should do. Night was falling; the others would get worried if he didn't return. Reluctantly, he turned around and made his way back. _'I hope Kagome is OK'_ he decided to make a little detour and head to Ginengi's place to make sure he got back safely. Ginengi's old mother was outside as he approached the hut. She looked worriedly at him. "Where's Ginengi?" he asked her, "He's not back yet?" She looked even more worried now. "I don't know; he's not back, it's been hours" Inuyasha left again, promising her that he'd be back with Ginengi. She refused, and asked him to take her with him. Inuyasha 'feh'd, but took her on his back anyway. _'Did something happen?'_ he pondered, _'did they get attacked or something?'_

"Master Miroku" Hajji said "I see something ahead" Miroku and Sango looked down; there was something on the ground that looked frightfully like a body. "Go down Hajji!" said Miroku, "We'll see what it is" They landed, and Hajji transformed into his original form. It was Ginengi. There was no sign of a struggle. "Oh my god" breathed Miroku "Isn't that Ginengi? What's he doing here?" But before any of them could say anything, Inuyasha appeared out of the woods, carrying Ginengi's mother.

The next few minutes were a nightmare. They watched dumbstruck, as the old woman screamed and ran to her son, sobbing uncontrollably. Inuyasha fell to his knees, unable to speak as Miroku and Sango rushed to him. "He was with Kagome" Inuyasha muttered in a raspy voice, "Where's Kagome?" Miroku frowned "Why was Ginengi with Kagome? Where were you?" Inuyasha hesitated, and then muttered his story about going after Kikyou. Sango was looking around, and grabbed a few stray herb pieces. "What are these?" she asked Inuyasha, showing them under the Hanyou's nose.

But before Inuyasha could reply, the old woman shrieked "Look at this! Someone shot him down! Oh my Ginengi!" Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango froze. Myoga hopped on top of Ginengi's body and examined the arrow shot through his heart. "Hmm" he muttered, and finally making up his mind, said "It seems that Kagome was the one who killed Ginengi" Inuyasha snapped out of trance and retorted angrily "Are you insane Myoga? Why would she do that? And for your information, I don't smell her at all" Myoga didn't reply soon. "You can't smell her, Master Inuyasha? This is bad…." Ginengi's mother looked up- "Are you saying, that- that my Ginengi was killed by that girl?" she stuttered, shaking in disbelief. "But she was always so nice! Why would she do that?" Her question rattled them, but not one of them could think of an answer. _'Why would she do that?'_

Only after they had cremated Ginengi, and his heart-broken mother had fallen asleep out of sheer tiredness, could Miroku and Sango tell Inuyasha their theory of Kagome being possessed. As they expected, Inuyasha went into a thunderous temper, raving insanely. Finally, after he had calmed down a little, he declared that he was going to look for her, but forbade Miroku and Sango to come with him. They protested, but he waved it aside and set off into the night, and all the while one thought tortured him- _'Why? Why Kagome? Why did you do that?'_

Kagome had walked away from Ginengi in a trance, spurred on by the disembodied voice. She had to find Kikyou, Inuyasha was with her. Soon enough, she spotted the dead priestess, who stared at her curiously when Kagome called out her name. "Why are you here alone?" Kikyou asked her. Kagome laughed, and a strangely cold laugh escaped her. "You hide him away, and ask me where he is? You're an awful liar, Kikyou" Saying that, she pointed an arrow at Kikyou. The undead miko looked only mildly startled. "So, you wish to kill me? I know this is not you, you're possessed. So, who is my real opponent?" Kagome's expression remained passive. She kept her arrow at Kikyou's heart and said "Shut up, I'm going to kill you. If you're out of the way, Inuyasha will be mine forever" Kikyou didn't respond. She just looked away, eyes narrowed, and whispered "They're coming"

A horde of demons approached them from all sides, trapping them. "I thought so" said Kikyou, "I knew that this was a trap. Nice move, Naraku" In the confusion of the battle, the two priestesses were separated. The shadow left Kagome, leaving her with an odd sense of confusion and a clear head. _'What was I doing back there? Was I threatening Kikyou? And Naraku, what was she saying about him?'_ The demons closed in on her, cutting off all means of escape. Her father was back, though. "Fight, my darling. I know you're strong" But despite her best efforts, she couldn't kill all of them.

The stars winked down at her, as she fell to her knees, sobbing. They knew it was not to be.

"I promise you, Kagome"

There was no way she could beat all of them.

"I won't betray you"

Was this how it was going to end?

"Until Naraku is destroyed-"

Where was he?

"I'll stay by your side"

He was not…he was not coming for her. The warmth in his arms was false, the look in his eyes was a lie, and it was all just an illusion.

The same thought pounded again and again _'Why Inuyasha, why did you abandon me? Why did you break your promise?'_ She drifted away, exhausted and drained. Not knowing that at that very moment, the hanyou was tearing through the forest screaming her name. She was not destined to die, though. The ever lurking shadow stopped their attack and caught her in his arms. Tearing off a part of her bloody sleeve, he threw it into the breeze for the hanyou to find. To mourn over that he was too late, too late to save the woman he loved, too late yet again. "Now" he whispered softly, his red eyes glimmering in the pale moonlight, "Now everything will go according to plan" And with a small sigh of satisfaction, he left with the unconscious girl in his arms, the girl who would soon rid him of all his problems, if he played his part well.

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I know, I know, the whole Ginengi part was pretty poorly written, but I was kind of in a hurry to get to the end of the chapter. Ta da! Naraku makes his appearance at last! Kagome thinks that Inuyasha betrayed her, that can't be good! I think you guys can guess what happens next, but for all its worth, read and review and another chapter will magically appear next week! I can't update sooner than that, for more details, go to my homepage link on my bio-page. Cheerio! 


	8. Revenge, part one

**Aurora Whisperwind:** I'm miserable…

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

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"You're awake" a soft voice said, as Kagome opened her eyes. A handsome man was bent over her, his dark eyes filled with concern. Kagome tried to speak, but no words came out. "It's alright. You're safe now" he said, "I found you surrounded by demons. You were barely alive. I was afraid you wouldn't make it"

_Hundreds of demons towered over her, leaving her no place to run. Tears ran freely, and she could hardly breathe from sobbing so hard. "Inuyasha! Where are you?" _

"What exactly happened?" she asked him, unable to place this memory. "My name is Naraku" he said, a faint red gleam in his eyes. "Well, as I said, I found you unconscious amidst all those demons. There was another young woman there too, but before I could rescue her, a white-haired boy rushed in from the woods nearby. He seemed to know her and blasted half of those demons with one swipe from his sword. I left, since he looked quite capable of handling himself. Do you know them?" he finished, running one hand through his long dark hair, fingering the curls.

"I think so…" she murmured, looking at the grey ceiling of this cave like place "I don't remember anything much" Naraku said nothing, just lifted her head gently and poured a few drops of some liquid down her throat. Instantly, her vision blurred. "It'll help you sleep. You went through quite a traumatic experience; we'll talk again once you get some rest" Everything blacked out after that. "Now, work your charm" he addressed a green mist surrounding her.

Kagura was waiting outside. "Why didn't you just kill her?" she asked Naraku. "Quiet Kagura" he rasped, "She is more useful alive than dead. And besides, I can kill her anytime I want, unlike with Kikyou" Kagura narrowed her eyes at him "So you're going to use her to kill Inuyasha?" Naraku's voice was low and deadly as he answered "Precisely"

"This was all that you found?" Miroku asked Inuyasha as Sango burst into tears. The hanyou nodded wearily, throwing Kagome's blood-soaked sleeve a pained look. He had spent all of last night searching feverishly for Kagome and screaming her name "It's her scent, I know it" he mourned, burying his head in his arms. "I searched the entire place. I couldn't find a trace of her" his eyes glimmered with unshed tears, tears he would never let fall. Shippou stared at the sleeve, unable to believe it. It just couldn't be. Kagome can't be dead, not now, not when they all needed her, Shippou the most.

"Let's go back there. There has to be something you missed" declared Miroku, placing a comforting arm around Sango's shoulders. Inuyasha shrugged, he was dead to everything now. _'I promised her. I promised her I would protect her. How could this happen?'_ Miroku spoke up again, interrupting Inuyasha's guilt-torn thoughts "But something's not quite right here. Why did Kagome kill Ginengi? And why was she acting so weirdly the past few weeks?"

"So Inuyasha, what can you smell?" Miroku asked the depressed hanyou. Inuyasha felt distinctly irritated as he replied "I told you before, a great load of stinking demons" Hadn't he said it over and over again? Miroku said nothing, just walked around with a frown on his face. "Look at this!" Sango shouted from a little away. In her hand, without doubt, was Kagome's bottle filled with jewel shards. "Now why would those demons leave these behind?" she asked them. Inuyasha was stunned. Miroku looked at them, and then reasoned slowly "This would mean she was attacked for a different reason. That would mean she's probably still alive, as whoever this person was didn't even bother to take the shards. They must need her for some reason. But the question is, who?"

"Naraku" Inuyasha whispered, "It's him, that bastard must be the one who did this. I'm gonna kill him, I'll pound him to the ground for even touching Kagome!" His voice rose, scaring a pair of squirrels who were watching them from the tree. "If it is Naraku, what does he plan on doing with her? Inuyasha, maybe we should try and find Kikyou. She might be able to help us, you know" Miroku suggested. Kikyou. Inuyasha's heart ached when he thought of her. If he hadn't gone chasing after her, Kagome would be fine now, and Ginengi would still be alive. But he couldn't be blamed for being worried about Kikyou; he loved her, didn't he? Kikyou was the one he was meant to be with, the one cared for, right? After all, Kikyou had given her life for him, she was everything for him. However, she was not the only one who meant so much….

"Darling?" Kagome's father crooned "Are you alright? I was so worried about you" Kagome's heart lifted considerably, hearing her father's voice again. "I'm sorry sweetie. Maybe over you, he cared for the other woman, Kikyou, more. But since he promised you, I thought he'd keep his word…" he trailed off.

'_No, you're wrong Inuyasha does care for me. He does. He'd never abandon me like that, would he?' _

"I'm sorry you fell for someone like that, Kagome. You deserve so much better" her father finished, a touch of anger and frustration in his voice.

'_But-'_

"Enough Kagome. I'm your father. I know what's best for you. He had equal opportunity to save you, he just chose not to. Surely you don't deny that?"

'_No'_

"I know it's hard to accept the fact that someone betrayed you, honey. But trust me, it'll heal. It may take long, but it will heal"

Kagome opened her eyes again. Naraku towered over her, a satisfied smirk on his face. "Well then priestess, what have you decided?" he asked her, red eyes gleaming. Kagome smirked back, and narrowed her now cold green eyes at him "Revenge" she whispered "I'll take my revenge" He smiled at her, offering all his support just as her father said the same. But as Kagome left the cave they were in, slinging her quiver of arrows behind her, a part of her that could not be repressed warned her she was wrong, that this was not what she wanted. Ignoring it, she blinked away the morning sunshine and disappeared into the woods, hunting a silver haired hanyou.

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I'm so sorry for the short chapter. I'm not exactly very happy as my anime is cut off and all…. To everyone who's reviewed, thanks you guys. Read and review, please. 


	9. Revenge, part two

**Aurora Whisperwind:** All right! I'm updating! Finally!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

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"Yes, we're looking for a priestess named Kikyou. Have you seen her?" Miroku asked a passing traveler. "A priestess, did you say?"-the man yelled, cupping his hand over an ear. "Yes sir. A young woman in a red and white outfit. She also has a bow and a quiver of arrows"-Miroku screamed, as the man was obviously quite deaf. "Oooooh, she sounds nice. Pretty?" he yelled, and before anybody could react, Inuyasha had him pinned to a tree, claws dangerously close to his neck. "You wanna tell us if you saw her or not?" 

"Inuyasha!" Miroku and Sango started dragging him away as the other man started screaming insanely and ran off. Inuyasha stood there puffing, eyes red with anger. "Inuyasha…." Sango began timidly, "I know you're upset. I understand. But you can't go on hitting people like that". Miroku backed her up-"Inuyasha, Sango's right. I know you're really unhappy, but so are we. We're all in the same boat"

"No you're not" the hanyou declared, not turning around. "You didn't make a promise to her and break it. You haven't lost the one you love all over again. You haven't felt guilt tear you up from inside, knowing that there was nothing you did to help her when she was in trouble. I wasn't there when she needed me. And I promised her I would" he lifted his head up, looking at the sky. "And now she's gone" he mumbled, half to himself. "She's gone, and she never knew…." He closed his eyes now, remembering her.

No one knew what to say. Shippou sniffed back some tears, wishing Kagome was back with them. Things had gone absolutely astray. Miroku stiffened as Inuyasha turned around, eyes hard amber. "I smell a village up ahead. We should go ask around" They followed him impassively. They had hardly gone a little when they spotted a young girl with a basket of berries and herbs. She stopped abruptly at their sight, eyes wide with fear. "Listen" Sango began warmly. "Don't be afraid, okay. We just wanted to ask you something". The child stared at them "Wh-what?" she stammered, eyes still fixed on Inuyasha.

No sooner had they finished Kikyou's description had Inuyasha look to the east, ears cocked up and listening. "Kikyou" he whispered. "Kikyou's here" he shot off, leaving them alone in the beautiful forest clearing. The girl looked more relaxed now that he was gone and answered them now. "You know, one of our heads found a young woman with a bow and a quiver of arrows" she said, "but she didn't wear priestess clothes. Her clothes were pretty, green and white, just like my new kimono. You want to see it?" They froze. A young girl in green and white…. It was obviously Kagome. "Sure" Miroku said sweetly, catching himself in time, "Let's go"

"Kikyou" she turned. "Inuyasha. I was wondering when you would find me. It's about her, isn't it?" he nodded, feeling the now-familiar ache well up in his heart. She looked at him, those beautiful brown eyes concerned, just like Kagome's. Everything about her, the long hair, the eyes, the gentle smile, everything brought back such painful memories…

"So you say this priestess showed up at around yesterday afternoon?" Miroku panted as they tried to keep up with the child whose name, they discovered, was Hanako. "Yes, she was found by one of the village elders. She wanted to leave immediately. The elders requested her to stay a while atleast and she agreed. She was very nice to us!" Hanako finished exuberantly. Her enthusiasm and energy were boundless. "Come on! We're nearly there!" she sang, grabbing Sango's and Miroku's hands in each of hers and dragging them with her.

"So, she wanted to kill you and abruptly, a whole lot of demons came out of the blue" Inuyasha summarized, looking at Kikyou who nodded. "She wasn't in the right mind. Her aura was cold and definitely evil" She said, looking solemnly at the ground. "What do I do?" Inuyasha whispered. Something about the way Kikyou was behaving was different. "Wait" she said softly. "Wait for her. She'll find you"

Inuyasha stood watching the evening die, the sun almost touching the horizon. Kikyou had left, and he didn't even try and stop her. She didn't tell him where she was going. Maybe he should go back to where Miroku and Sango were. But he couldn't bring himself to move at all. It was as if time had frozen, and he could stare out at the horizon forever. He remembered things now, memories of his mother and him, watching the sunset together, safe and warm in her arms. Watching the sunset with Kikyou, her hand in his, knowing that they'd soon be forever. Waiting for Kagome to appear from her time, as twilight settled in.

He felt sick, miserable. Nothing was permanent in life. Sooner or later everything would disappear. He suddenly thought of Sesshoumaru. He had always asked himself why Sesshoumaru was so unemotional, with nothing to make his life worth living. But now, as he thought it over, perhaps that was the best way to live. To feel nothing for no one. That way, he would never be hurt again. He stiffened suddenly as he heard footsteps, and froze as the person came to view, bringing with her the light fragrance of flowers. It was Kagome.

"She's not here? When did she leave? Where did she go?" Sango asked the kind young woman who was Hanako's mother, who looked equally bewildered. "The girl was strange…" she began, noting the anxiety upon the faces of these young travelers "Her moods changed constantly. She was warm and friendly sometimes and frightened and unhappy some other times. She would talk to herself, and sometimes scream out in pain. But all of the time, she kept asking for someone called Inuyasha. She said she needed revenge. It was frightening. This afternoon, she said she was stepping out to look for Hanako" she finished, stroking her daughter's cheek. "Oh my god" breathed Sango, looking at Miroku who finished her sentence for her "She wants revenge against Inuyasha"

"Kagome" Inuyasha whispered, unable to believe it. "We meet again at last" Kagome said, green eyes narrowed at him, taking out an arrow. "Kagome" Inuyasha began again, holding out his arms. He couldn't understand. Her eyes, they were not the sparkling brown orbs they used to be, warm and understanding. They were cold and filled with hatred. "You betrayed me" she whispered, aiming an arrow at his heart. There was no way he could escape, and he didn't want to either. The scene was familiar, it had already happened twice. But this time, the ending was going to be different. "You betrayed me. You left me to die. She was more important to you than me"

"KAGOME!" he screamed. "No! Please don't say that! I never did, I never will, you know that! I tried so hard, I was too late" she shook her head stubbornly. "Liar. You meant to, I know. You lied to me, cheated me. I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" she released the arrow, part of her dying, for she knew that this was the end of her life too, she could never live without him. Powerless to stop, she watched the arrow fly. A spray of blood flew as the arrow met its target, and the limp figure fell to the ground.

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Yes well, if you were going to kill me before, you're going to burn me alive after this. I'm sorry! I'll try and put up the next chapter soon! Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, especially micael m, who got me moving! Read and review, please!


	10. Parting

Aurora Whisperwind: Peeps out, expecting an angry mob I am so sorry…. silence sigh… I knew it. I'm real sorry people! Really I am! Please don't abandon me!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Neither do I own my reviewers.

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Inuyasha stared at Kagome, amber eyes frozen, unseeing. Kikyou slumped to the ground, blood all over her robes and over Inuyasha's hands. She pulled out the arrow. "So…." She breathed, "I guess you beat me after all". Kagome dropped her bow, her eyes back to normal. _What have I done?_ _I killed her! I murdered her! Her and Ginengi…_The scene stood suspended in mid-air, and the only movement came from a gentle breeze which wafted in, oblivious to all that had happened.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Inuyasha screamed, tears pouring down as he held Kikyou in his arms, brushing her hair away from her face lovingly. "You're going to be okay. I promise-" she put a gentle hand on his lips. "No" she whispered "Don't promise something you can never keep. I am dying again" Inuyasha shook his head desperately. "No, I won't let you, you can't leave me alone" She closed her eyes. "I gave you a chance for us to be together. You chose… differently"

There was a pause, a ragged breath, as her soul left the body. Inuyasha held her until her heart no longer throbbed, and her lovely eyes closed, never to open again. The porcelain-like face was smooth and clear, her expression tranquil. He looked up now, at Kagome. She looked away in an instant, unable to look into those eyes, filled with reproach, hurt and confusion. The love they had shared was not there, not even a trace of it. _What have I done? _

She lurched backwards, sobbing, and ran away. Away from those amber eyes, the pain and tears. Away from the man she loved, and still loved, but was loved by no more. With every step she took, the same miserable thought clung to her. _Why did I do that? Why did I kill her?_ She was well and truly alone now. Except for…. Her father? _Why did he encourage me to do something like that?_ She stopped suddenly, suspicion overtaking her. Who was this mysterious man who spoke to her? She was certain he wasn't her father now. Who was he?

"Inuyasha…" Sango whispered; eyes wide with shock. "Is that-?" She paused, horrified, as the hanyou came closer, the dead miko in his arms. "Lady Kikyou? But how did this happen?" Miroku asked, a comforting hand on Sango's shoulder. Inuyasha didn't reply. "We need to take her home" he rasped.

A few days later, Kikyou's last rites finished, Miroku, Sango and Shippou sat explaining what had happened to Kaede, who had to deal with the fact that her sister was lost from her once again. Inuyasha had vanished somewhere alone to brood, though evidently he was still near, considering Shippou and Kirara could still sense him. "He has not told who murdered her?" Kaede asked them, her wrinkled face darkening. "Not a word…. Something happened, and he is very disturbed" Sango answered vaguely, still remembering the dead look in the hanyou's eyes on that fateful evening. Kaede got up, and looked out of the window. "I think that…. ridiculous as it may seem, Kagome killed her" her quiet statement brought forth a vehement 'No' from the listening group, the loudest from Shippou who screamed "Kagome would never do that! NEVER! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT! SHE'S TOO GOOD AND PURE AND NICE!" he paused for breath.

"It was her" a quiet voice announced. They whirled around to see Inuyasha at the door, arms folded, and an impassive expression on his face. "Are you saying that-?" Miroku began, only to be interrupted by a glare from the hanyou. "It was her. She killed Kikyou and Ginengi. She wanted to kill me, but Kikyou saved me, once again" They stared at him, unable to speak. "And now we've reached the cross-roads. My path is my own now, and you are not to follow… I will help you in your fight against Naraku, but you're on your own now. Goodbye" He walked out, but by the time they had regained their senses and dashed out, there was no trace of him.

"Well priestess, disappointed that you didn't kill the hanyou, but I guess that was close enough. You serve me well, girl" the voice rang out. Kagome listened in horror, as her 'father' spoke these words. _I was fooled._ "Yes you were, unfortunate, isn't it?" he mocked in a sing-song tone. "You beast! How dare you pretend to be my father! You will pay, I'll- I'll-" she choked out, trembling with anger and misery. "Remember girl, nothing you think can be hidden from me, you cannot escape"

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Well… that was it. I had writer's block, and so… I've turned out a horrid chapter, but no suspense now right? Forgive me, minna-san! Please review! 


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